InPost acquires competitor Yodel to become UK’s third-largest delivery firm

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Retail Reporter

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InPost operates the largest parcel locker network in the UK, with more than 11,000.
InPost operates the largest parcel locker network in the UK, with more than 11,000.

Poland-based InPost has acquired competitor Yodel as it cements ambitions to grow in the UK market.

InPost expects the deal to boost its market share to eight per cent, as well as rapidly increasing its capacity to more than 300 million parcels annually.

Under the terms of the deal, InPost has acquired 95.5 per cent of Judge Logistics Ltd share capital, parent company of Yodel, with PayPoint retaining a minority stake of 4.5 per cent.

CEO of InPost Group Rafał Brzoska called the acquisition a “pivotal milestone” in the company’s journey.

“We have just fast-forwarded 5 years of organic expansion in the UK and it is a clear reflection of our long-term commitment to this market, a market where we see enormous opportunity for growth.

“Our logistics model has transformed delivery in other European markets, and with this acquisition, we are now well positioned to do the same here,” Brzoska said.

Growing UK presence

Inpost, which was launched in 2013, works by operating a set of lockers across a country, which work with the country’s postal service to deliver parcels to and from the lockers.

Customers can then pick up or drop off the goods in their own time.

Last year, revenue and parcel volumes both rose by 25 per cent, to £515m and 264m parcels respectively.

While business in Poland still provides by far the majority of revenue, the UK is Inpost’s fastest growing market out of the nine it operates in – the UK market has grew by 163 per cent last year.

The deal will allow InPost to increase its UK capacity more than ten fold.

“This acquisition is a game-changer for InPost’s operations in the UK. Combining doorstep deliveries with our unrivalled locker network, we are reshaping the future of parcel delivery,” Neil Kuschel, CEO of InPost UK, said.

“We will be able to provide customers and e-commerce retailers with the reliability, flexibility, and efficiency they expect. We’re excited to deliver more for the UK,” Kuschel said.